Description
Established in 1923, Texas Tech University is a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) Doctoral/Research-Extensive, Hispanic Serving, and state-assisted institution. Located on a beautiful 1,850-acre campus in Lubbock, a city in West Texas with a growing metropolitan-area population of over 300,000, the university enrolls over 40,000 students with 33,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. As the primary research institution in the western two-thirds of the state, Texas Tech University is home to 10 colleges, the Schools of Law and Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate School. The flagship of the Texas Tech University System, Texas Tech is dedicated to student success by preparing learners to be ethical leaders for a diverse and globally competitive workforce. It is committed to enhancing the cultural and economic development of the state, nation, and world.
Referred to as the “Hub City” because it serves as the educational, cultural, economic, and health care hub of the South Plains region, Lubbock boasts a diverse population and a strong connection to community, history, and land. With a mild climate, highly rated public schools, and a low cost of living, Lubbock is a family-friendly community that is ranked as one of the best places to live in Texas. Lubbock is home to a celebrated and ever-evolving music scene, a vibrant arts community, and is within driving distance of Dallas, Austin, Santa Fe, and other major metropolitan cities. Lubbock’s Convention & Visitors Bureau provides a comprehensive overview of the Lubbock community and its resources, programs, events, and histories.
About the College:
The Texas Tech University College of Education, with over 2,000 students, offers a nationally recognized undergraduate teacher preparation program and 21 graduate degrees that prepare students for professional or academic positions in education. We are a diverse community of scholars, researchers, and educators with a commitment to excellence in teaching and serving ED-12 public schools and beyond. We collaborate with local, regional, state, national, and global partners to address complex problems facing individuals and communities. In recognition of its extraordinary community outreach efforts, the college received a 2018 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).
About the Department/School/Area:
The College of Education prepares future educators and leaders through four departments: Teacher Education (undergraduate), Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Psychology, Leadership & Counseling, and Special Education. The college also supports RAIDER Teach, an innovative teacher preparation program housed within the Dean’s Office.
Position Description:
The College of Education at Texas Tech University invites applications from innovative and thoughtful colleagues to join our faculty (open rank) as a member with an explicit focus on research related to the Educator Workforce to begin September 1, 2026. The Educator Workforce research strand in the College of Education examines the timely issues related to the teacher and leader workforce, including but not limited to: recruitment and preparation, labor market dynamics, compensation and incentives, retention, shortages in high-need areas, and the distribution of ‘effective’ educators. The successful candidate may come from any discipline within education (e.g., educational leadership, policy, higher education, curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, special education) so long as their research contributes to understanding and improving the educator workforce. The successful candidate should also demonstrate a commitment to policy-relevant scholarship and a willingness to engage directly with policymakers, state agencies, and other stakeholders to translate research into practice and reform.
Candidates who have strong records of scholarship supported by extramural funding and who have the proven capacity or clear potential to commence externally sponsored research at Texas Tech University are encouraged to apply. The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Major/Essential Functions:
In line with TTU’s strategic priorities to engage and empower a diverse student body, enable innovative research and creative activities, and transform lives and communities through outreach and engaged scholarship, applicants should have experience working with diverse student populations at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels within individual or across the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service.
As a faculty member in the College of Education, you will be expected to (1) secure federal and state funding related to pressing issues related to the educator workforce; (2) have an active scholarly research agenda focused on key issues in areas related to and intersecting with the educator workforce; (3) mentor students researching related issues, and (4) engage community stakeholders in mutually-beneficial education workforce-focused collaborations.
Responsibilities of the successful candidate are:
Maintain an active, externally funded research program focused on the educator workforce
Publish in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and other scholarly outlets
Teach courses aligned to the candidate’s expertise
Advise and mentor students, including but not limited to doctoral students pursuing dissertation research
Contribute to collaborative, cross-strand initiatives within the College of Education and across the university
Engage in outreach and policy communication activities to ensure research informs state and national workforce priorities
Requirements
Required Qualifications:
A conferred doctorate issued by September 1, 2026 from a major accredited university in a field related to Educator workforce.
Preferred Qualifications:
In addition to the required qualifications, individuals with the following preferred qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply:
Demonstrated potential for or record of collaborative research projects with community stakeholders at the district, state, or national level.
Demonstrated potential for or record of high-impact peer-reviewed publications and scholarship related to education workforce issues.
Demonstrated potential for excellence in teaching and mentorship at the graduate level
Earned doctorate from an AAU institution.
Demonstrated track record and/or potential for obtaining funding.
Demonstrated ability and/or potential to partner with education agencies, organizations, nonprofits, etc.
Experience teaching online courses in education or in a related field.
Demonstrated potential for or a record of advising students and participating in graduate student committees.
